On Sunday, May 13, Malacañang expressed sorrow over the passing of former Senate President Edgardo Angara, grieving with Angara’s family.

“We mourn the sudden passing of one of our great leaders and statesmen, Senate President Edgardo Angara, who died at age 83,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara announced his father’s death on social media on Sunday afternoon.

“Sad to say my father, Former Senator Edgardo Javier Angara, passed on from this life this morning at the age of 83, from an apparent heart attack,” his tweet read.

The elder Angara was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the Special Envoy to the European Union in May 2017. Prior to that, he served as Senator from 1987 to 1998, and from 2001 to 2013, and was Senate President from January 1993 to August 1995.

The Free High School Act, and the establishment of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the National Health Insurance Act (PhilHealth) are some of the laws he authored.

He also authored the Senior Citizens Act, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), the Renewable Energy Act, and the Procurement Reform Act.

Under the administration of former president and incumbent Manila City Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Angara was the Agriculture Secretary. He was also the president of the University of the Philippines from 1981 to 1987.

Angara founded the ACCRA Law Offices, one of the top law firms in the Philippines, along with other law classmates in the private sector. He was also the chairman of the Philippine National Bank (PNB) from 1998 to 1999.

“Mr. Angara’s contribution to nation-building was immense and his name will always be prominent in the pages of our country’s modern political history. He will be missed,” Roque said.

Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also gave her condolences to the Angara family in a separate statement.

“I would like to personally convey my deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of former Senate President Edgardo Angara. He was a true leader who instituted reforms for the betterment of the country. Most importantly, he was a friend who I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with,” she said.

“May his courage and leadership continue to inspire others. He will be missed but his valuable contributions to the country will never be forgotten,” she added.